Wheel Quandry

[Mike D Arthur]

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WHEEL QUANDRY
The '53 AJS 20 that I am rebuilding has what appears to be painted wheels,a dullish silver, spokes & Hubs. The engine and frame numbers match, frame No A2343 left the factory in June '53. Now during the Suez crisis there was a shortage of chrome hence many parts were not chromed. Did this apply to the wheels etc and would '53 production be effected. i have heard or read that parts such as wheels were "argonised"(?). Is this what is on my wheels? There is no evidence of chrome beneath the paint, also there is no large build-up of paint anywhere.
My quandry is: if this is original do I repaint or go to a new chrome rim.
Mike

[Eric]

It seems probable that your bike did originally have argenized rims but that may depend upon the origins of it e.g. UK home market or export. Whilst it may look like a spray painted finish it was some form of electroplating that may have used aluminium. The spokes would have been galvanised and the hubs painted black, so in your case it seems everything has just been painted silver. There is no rule that you must replicate original finishes indeed argenising is probably not done anywhere now so you would have to use paint or powder coating to simulate it. Chrome rims would have been painted in the centre section and lined I think with blue for an AJS but others will correct me if i am wrong.

[Dick Hobart]

Having had a '53 Matchless in the days when it was a modern bike I can confirm that the rims were indeed argenized. This was due to a shortage of chrome as a result of slow recovery from the war effort - Suez was some 6-7 years later. Later chrome rims ('55 - on?)had a black painted centre with silver lining for Matchless and gold lining for AJS.
I saw a nicely restored '53 twin in the Cotswolds about two years ago and the rims had been very well replicated with the argenized finish but I didn't establish whether this was achieved by plating or painting.